Perhaps
by Steerpike Jennkings
Summary: Merlin's always wondered what his friendship with Arthur would be like if he weren't prince. After a stranger arrives in Cammalot, who is claiming to know Emris's identity, he offers Merlin the chance to change his destiny; but will Merlin accept?


"_Perhaps, if I hadn't been born prince we could have been better friends." _

…

Merlin sat watching Arthur practicing with the other knights out in the summer heat. Most had striped from their heavy armor and chainmail and practiced with blunt swords. It was much more relaxed than usual and all the knights moved sluggishly except Arthur who continued to practice with the same brut force as always, taking only small breaks to tease Merlin and drink. Arthur disarmed another knight and gave a small smile to him. "I feel as if none of you are even trying today."

The knights all looked to each other with the same look of exhaustion. "Sire, we've been practicing for hours. Perhaps we should rest for the day." One knight spoke up whipping sweat from his brow.

Arthur nodded in agreement. "It is warm today, I'll give you the rest of the day off but it will mean harder training once the heat wave leaves."

The knights gathered their armor and equipment before gradually leaving the training area, groups at a time. Arthur wandered over to Merlin who was sitting in the shade of a tree with Arthur's armor piled beside him.

"I see you're being particularly lazy this afternoon _Mer_lin." He sat beside his servant sighing.

Merlin couldn't help but scoff. "I just polished your sweaty armor, a simple thanks would be nice." He handed the prince a skin jug of fresh water and leaned against the tree.

"Do you know how many times I asked you to polish that this week?" Arthur said taking the water and gulping it down.

Merlin counted on his fingers. "About thirteen I think." He took the jug back and took a sip for himself.

Arthur rolled his eyes. "I swear you have to be the laziest servant ever to serve Camelot."

Merlin was about to reply with anther mocking remark when he noticed something odd. A man stood in the pasture across from them, just staring at the two with a grin. Merlin stared back, gazes locked before he felt his ribs nudged by Arthurs elbow.

"What's the matter with you?" the prince asked following Merlin's gaze.

Merlin lost contact with the stranger and turned to Arthur. "Nothing, why?"

Arthur studied him a moment. "Heat must be getting to us. Come on, you can go get me some food then you can have the rest of the day off."

Merlin raised his eyebrows. "That's shocking. I mean you? Giving me time off? Are you sure you're feeling well?" He joked reaching to feel Arthur's forehead.

Arthur slapped the hand away and glared. "Yeah well I really don't want to deal with your idiocy today, especially in this heat _Mer_lin."

…

Merlin was leaving Arthurs room when he saw the stranger from the field again. He was sitting on the staircases, his gaze fixed on the door waiting for the manservant.

"Hello," the red head smiled and gave a wave of his hand.

Merlin smiled and returning the greeting. He had planned on just walking by the tall skinny boy but his pathway was blocked when he stepped directly in front of Merlin's path.

"I have an offer for you." Red said grinning with such excitement Merlin couldn't help but find it funny.

"I'm sorry," Merlin said walking around him. "Not interested."

The smile faded from the stranger and he looked disappointedly at Merlin with large hazel eyes. "You didn't even hear my offer."

Merlin shrugged. "I don't have any money," he turned to leave when the guy began to follow him like a lost dog.

"It doesn't cost money. Just a simple promise,"

Merlin continued to walk hoping the stranger would lose interest and leave him alone but the red head as now walking along in sync.

"I know who you are. Merlin, the great warlock." Reds voice boomed and echoed down the hallway, his thin arms flinging into the air and almost hitting Merlin in the jaw.

On instinct Merlin halted and pulled the man behind the nearest pillar. "How did you know that?" he demanded lowering his voice to a whisper.

The stranger's crooked grin returned and he leaned forward so only Merlin could hear him. "My kind knows all about the great wizard."

A million questions went off in Merlin's mind and when he was about to list them off the man winked then vanished before Merlin's own eyes.

"No! Wait!" Merlin yelled looking around for him, but the hallway was now empty.

Immediately he took of running toward Gaius's.

…

"What do you mean he knew what you were?" asked Gaius.

"He said he knew I was a warlock. That his _kind _knew all about me." Merlin said spacing the words slowly apart, more to calm himself than to explain. He fumbled with his hands nervously then looked hopefully over to Gaius. "What kind of creature does he mean?"

Gaius stood up and shuffled to one of his many bookshelves, Merlin following behind, and took down an old dusty book. He placed it onto the table and flipped through the pages explaining, "Multiple creatures have that sort of power to detect magic, Merlin. But the way you describe him makes me believe that we are dealing with a sprite."

Merlin raised his eyebrows. "Excuse me?"

"A sprite." Gaius repeated. "They're half human half fairy beings. They live in the hills up north, often playing tricks on the lords and helping farmers out with their work. They dislike travel and rarely come this far south. I really hope he stays out of trouble."

Merlin furrowed his eyebrows. "Shouldn't we be trying to stop him or something? He is a shee after all."

Gaius handed Merlin the book. "Sprites aren't dangerous, Merlin. Tricksters yes but they are usually very kind. Often times just keeping to themselves in their hills. I would be careful not to get on his bad side though. Mischievous things and they tend to get creative when angered."

…

It was Sunday when he started seeing signs of the red head again. That morning when he went to the market he heard people talking of the poor who couldn't afford food but woke this morning to baskets of fruit. Later Arthur told him of how some of the farm they had planned on burning had turned green and usable again overnight and Gwenaviere had found a bouquet of her favorite flowers on her windowsill.

Mischievous pranks also seemed to be happening too. The silverware in the kitchens rusted, some of the knights swords had been dulled beyond repair, and worst of all, every left shoe Arthur owned went missing.

Yes, Merlin had found it hilarious at first but now it was just annoying. All day he had been either searching for Arthurs shoes or something to replace them with, but it seemed every shoemaker in Camelot didn't have that size or enough leather to make a new pair.

He had given up an hour ago and was now walking back to Arthur's room. That's where he saw red again. Same spot on the stairs as he was before, with that same stupid grin on his face.

"Merlin!" he yelled jumping up to greet him.

Merlin stopped and glared down at him. "Where are the shoes?" he demanded.

Reds smile faltered "Arthur's or…?"

"Arthur's shoes! What did you do with them?" Merlin was growing impatient.

Reds grin returned, "I hid them! Isn't that great? That's what he gets for bossing 'the great Emris' around!" The red head was beaming now as if waiting for Merlin to complement him for a job well done. Merlin decided the only way to get him to talk would be to play along.

"That's great!" Merlin grinned back sarcastically, although red probably didn't realize it. "Now I need to get them back."

"Why?" questioned red, his smile held back until he knew the answer.

"It was funny at first now it's annoying." Merlin answered.

Red tilted his head to the side. "Are you sure your not just being lazy?" he questioned his eyebrows raised as if it were a private joke. It was in a way too because Merlin's closest friends and family called him lazy. The fact that red head was now invading their joke made Merlin grow angry and he was about to tell off the sprite when the prince's chamber door swung open.

"_Mer_lin, here the hell have you been!" Arthur yelled glaring at the two standing outside his door.

"Sorry sire," red bowed and looked over at Merlin. "I'm a friend of Merlin's, we were just coming back from looking for your shoes."

"I see you haven't found them yet." Arthur snapped and turned back into his room.

"I have a feeling they'll show up soon." Merlin said following the prince and giving red a glare. Red's smile faltered and followed them into the room also, to the shock of both servant and prince.

"What did you his name was?" Arthur asked Merlin giving him a slight glare, warning the servant he did not enjoy having this stranger in his room. Merlin stumbled for words trying to come up with a name to call the trickster. Red seemed to notice Merlin's uncertainty and was quick to respond.

"My name is Liam, sire. I'm from the outer northern countries." He gave a slight bow after his address and gave a beaming smile. Arthur gave Merlin a questioning look and Merlin nodded encouragingly hoping the prince would be convinced. Sighing Arthur shook his head and stormed back to his bed.

"I still have no shoes _Merlin" _he pointed out.

"I'm sorry Ar-" Merlin began before Liam interrupted him.

"Did you try looking under the bed, sire? Whenever I loose something it always seems to end up there. Under my bed, not under….yours." He finished lamely. Suddenly the red head seemed lost in thought and stared blankly at the ceiling.

"Thank you _Liam. _But I already checked there." Arthur glared at Merlin as if this were his fault.

"Check again," Liam suggested. Arthur sent a nasty glare at him before ducking to look under the bed to look again.

"I said I already checked-" Arthur stopped upon seeing a pair of brown leather boots shined and prepared for the day. "How the hell-" He looked shocked between his servant and the stranger struggling to repress his laughter. Arthur switched to a glare and tossed them to Merlin.

Liam shrugged and patted Merlin on the back. "See you at the pub Merlin." The redhead gave a bow to Arthur and disappeared into the hallway.

"Merlin, you better have a good explanation or so help me-"

Merlin gave a bright smile before making up the best lie he could for the sprite. "Knew each other as kids. He's a bit-" Merlin spun his finger around the side of his head.

Arthur rolled his eyes, taking the boots back from Merlin. "You two make a great team then," he pointed out.

Merlin laughed, but when Arthur glared back at him, he understood the prince was not amused. Liam was going to cause too many problems if Merlin didn't confront him.

**A/N: Wow this story is really old. I wrote it like a year ago and this was the only chapter completely written. Idek where I was going with this…hm. Alright, well thought I'd post it to get it off my laptop. Thanks for the read; maybe I'll finish it?**


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